Tine for fixing a cylindrical carrier bar of a reel and a tine assembly comprising a carrier bar and at least one tine

ABSTRACT

A tine for fixing to a cylindrical carrier tube of a reel, in addition to a tine assembly comprising a carrier tube and a tine. The tine ( 8 ) comprises the following: a coil spring section ( 10 ) with at least one convolution wound about a coil spring axis ( 11 ) as far as a screw line; an engagement section ( 14 ), which is immediately adjacent to and leads continuously from the first end ( 12 ) of the convolution of the coil spring section ( 10 ), terminating in a free end ( 15 ); a fixing section ( 16 ), which is immediately adjacent to the second end ( 13 ) of the convolution and whose free end is bent to form an eyelet ( 17 ) with a through opening ( 18 ) that projects towards the first end ( 12 ) of the convolution; and a bearing section ( 19 ) located upstream of the eyelet ( 17 ). The coil spring axis ( 11 ) and the bending axis ( 2 ) are offset in the same direction in relation to the engagement section ( 14 ). The longitudinal axis ( 2 ) constitutes the bending axis and runs parallel to the coil spring axis ( 11 ). The carrier tube ( 1, 101 ) is located between an exterior peripheral section of the coil spring section ( 10 ) and the fixing section ( 16 ), in such a way that it is partially surrounded by the sections. The tine ( 8 ) is fixed to the cylindrical carrier tube ( 1 ) by a fixing screw ( 5 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a tine attached to a cylindrical carrier tubeof a reel for mowing devices on harvesting machines. The tine is madefrom a basic material which is round and rod-like. Further, theinvention relates to a tine arrangement including a cylindrical carriertube and at least one such tine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A reel of a harvesting machine generally includes several carrier tubes.The tubes are radially distanced from a central tube and distributedaround the circumference of the central tube. The carrier tubes aresupported by corresponding support arms connected to the central tube.The carrier tubes are rotationally supported on the support arms.Furthermore, the reel is rotationally supported around the axis of thecentral tube. Depending on the width of a cutting table of a harvestingmachine, the reel is very long and the carrier tubes are correspondinglylong. The carrier tubes carry tines which are arranged and distributedover its length. For example, 40 or more tines are generally attached ona six meter long carrier tube. In a reel with six carrier tubes, thereare 240 or more tines arranged along the carrier tube. The tines aregenerally made from a spring steel wire, such as a rod-like material.The spring properties of the tines are realised by a coil springportion. The coil spring portion is designed so that the tine candeflect when obstacles, such as earth bulges or larger stones, arepresent in front of the mowing device. Different embodiments are knownfor the attachment of the tines on the carrier tube.

DE 198 58 452 A1 describes an arrangement where the carrier tube has oneor several longitudinal grooves. The tines have a winding with a bentend which engages the grooves. An end of the winding of a coil springportion is bent to form a yoke-like portion which engages over thecarrier tube. The yoke ends exceed the diameter of the carrier tube andform openings. A screw is passed transversally to the longitudinal axisof the carrier tube for tightening the carrier tube. A disadvantage isthat profiled tubes are expensive. The design necessitates tines, madeas pairs, which connection portions engage in one of the grooves.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,235 describes a tine arrangement with a double tinehaving two coil spring portions. A joint attachment in a rotationaldirection around the longitudinal axis of the carrier tube is achievedby a fixing screw. The screw passes the carrier tube transversally tothe extension of the engagement portions of the tines. A disadvantage ofthis fixing type is that the fixing eyelet is laterally off-set to theengagement portions by the length of the coil spring portion. The eyeletis not arranged on or near the loading line of the engagement portion.Therefore, a rotational loading is produced. Due to the loading, also inthe above described embodiment, the coil spring portion is formedextending around the carrier tube.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes an attachment tine attached on a cylindricalcarrier tube of a reel, as well as a tine arrangement with a carriertube having at least one tine. The tines, in form of individual tines,are suitable for an application in connection with cylindrical carriertubes. The attachment, with reference to loading, does not experiencedisplacement around an axis arranged perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of the carrier tube. Also, the tines can be easily mounted.

A tine is attached on a cylindrical carrier tube of a reel for mowingdevices on harvesting machines. The tine is made from a basic materialwith a round cross-section and is rod-like. A coil spring portion of thetine is wound to a coil line with at least one winding around a coilspring axis. The coil spring portion has a first winding end and asecond winding end. A straight or bent engagement portion continuouslyfollows the first winding end of the coil spring portion. The straightor bent engagement portion ends in a free end. A fixing portion iscontinuous with the second winding end. The second winding end is bentat a free end into an eyelet with a through opening. The eyelet projectsin a direction towards the first winding end. The second winding end hasan abutment portion arranged in front of the eyelet. The second windingend extends on a circular arc centred on a bending axis arrangedparallel to the coil spring axis. A transition portion follows theabutment portion and ends in the second winding end. The coil springaxis and the bending axis are off-set in the same direction from theengagement portion.

The eyelet is connected to the second winding end such that an abutmentportion, bent corresponding to the outer circumference of the carriertube, precedes and ends with a transition portion in the second windingend of the coil spring portion.

The abutment portion closely abuts the outer circumference of thecylindrical carrier tube. The eyelet orientation provides an arrangementfor the screw. In the resting position of the tine, the screw extendsnearly parallel to the transition portion or the abutment portion,respectively. When loading the tine at the engagement portion, the screwis not subjected to tensioning, but to shearing. This has the advantagethat negative loadings do not act onto the tube, as at pure tensioningloading, a stronger clamping would have to be provided, which producesthe danger of reducing the tube in cross-section.

The carrier tube is not contracted by the loading. The screw whichprovides the attachment cannot be loosened. The tightening torque forthe fixing screw can, in this case, be smaller. A further advantage is,that, because the eyelet is arranged nearly in one plane with theengagement portion, no leverage effect, which wants to rotate the tine,is produced. Since the eyelet projects in the direction towards thefirst winding end, it is arranged in the length portion of the coilspring portion. Thus, the total width of the tine is small and the pitchof the fixing bores on the carrier tube is easier to determine.

Preferably, the engagement portion has, starting from the first windingend, a first portion. The first portion is arranged in one plane withthe transition portion of the fixing portion. The transition portion andthe engagement portion project in opposite directions from the coilspring portion. Preferably the eyelet is arranged perpendicular to aplane, formed by the circular arc-like abutment portion.

A tine arrangement for a reel of a mowing devices on harvesting machinescomprises a cylindrical carrier tube with a longitudinal axis. A throughbore extends transversally to the longitudinal axis. A fixing screw hasa screw head and a nut. At least one tine is provided which comprises acoil spring portion wound to a coil line with at least one windingaround a coil spring axis. The coil spring portion has a first windingend and a second winding end. A straight or bent engagement portioncontinuously follows the first winding end of the coil spring portion.The straight or bent portion ends in a free end. A fixing portion iscontinuously attached to the second winding end. The fixing portion isbent at a free end into an eyelet with a through opening. The eyeletprojects in the direction towards the first winding end. An abutmentportion is arranged in front of the eyelet. The abutment portion extendson a circular arc centred on a bending axis arranged parallel to thecoil spring axis. A transition portion follows the abutment portion andends in the second winding end. The coil spring axis and the bendingaxis are off-set in the same direction from the engagement portion. Thecarrier tube longitudinal axis corresponds to the bending axis andextends parallel to the coil spring axis. The carrier tube is arrangedbetween an outer circumferential portion of the coil spring portion andthe fixing portion. Thus, the carrier tube is partially enclosed by thecoil spring and fixing portions.

This arrangement provides numerous advantages. One advantage is adesired screw arrangement. Furthermore, the carrier tube is enclosedbetween the abutment portion and the coil spring portion which achievesadvantageous assembling. The coil spring portion is directly supportedon the screw head or the nut. Thus, no direct contact for the support ofthe forces, loading the engagement portion, is produced on the carriertube which leads to wear. The components belonging to the fixing screw,like the screw head and the nut, are manufactured from a morewear-resistant material.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It shouldbe understood that the detailed description and specific examples, whileindicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended forpurposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view partially in cross-section of the tine accordingto the invention arranged on a carrier tube with a mowing finger;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the tine without the mowing finger of a firstembodiment of a fixing screw;

FIG. 3 is a side view partially in section like FIG. 1, however, adifferent fixing screw is illustrated;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the tine arrangement of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded partially in section view of mounting a tine witha fixing screw of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,its application, or uses.

Firstly, the embodiment of the tine of FIGS. 1 and 2 is described. Acylindrical carrier tube 1 defines a longitudinal axis 2. A through bore4 extends transversally to the longitudinal axis 2 through the carriertube 1 to define a bore axis 3 A fixing screw 5 with a screw head 6 anda nut 7 pass through bore 4. The fixing screw 5 attaches to the carriertube 1. The tine transports stems cut by the mowing sickle. The tine ismovable in the area of the mowing finger 9 away from the area of themowing finger 9. The carrier tube 1, attached to a reel star element,can be rotated around an axis off-set to the longitudinal axis 2 inrotational direction F. In this case, the carrier tube 1 itself canadditionally be rotated around the longitudinal axis 2.

The tine 8 includes a coil spring portion 10. The rod-like material,from which the tine 8 is manufactured, is coiled, spring-like, aroundthe coil spring axis 11. The coil portion 10 has at least one,preferably, however, several windings. The coil spring portion 10 has afirst winding end 12 and distanced thereto, a second winding end 13.These ends project in opposite directions.

An engagement portion 14 is continuously attached to the first windingend 12. The engagement portion 14 has two portions. The first portion 21extends nearly tangential to the coil. The second portion 22 extends ina bent manner. The engagement portion 14 ends at a free end 15.

The second winding end 13 is continuously followed by a fixing portion16. The fixing portion 16 includes a transition portion 20 arrangedsubstantially in one plane with the first portion 21 of the engagementportion 14. The transition portion 20 is followed by an abutment portion19. The abutment portion 19 encloses a circular arc of nearly 90°. Thearc path is adapted to the outer face of the cylindrical carrier tube 1.In FIG. 1 the bending radius R is shown. The bending radius refers tothe neutral zone of the abutment portion 19. The centre of the bendingradius is arranged on the longitudinal axis 2 of the carrier tube 1.

The fixing portion 16 also includes a fixing eyelet 17. The fixingeyelet 17 follows the abutment portion 19. The eyelet 17 extends in acircular arc and is bent thereto. The eyelet 17 projects in thedirection towards the first winding end 12. The through opening 18 ofthe eyelet 17, for the fixing screw 5, is also arranged in an areabetween the first winding end 12 and the second winding end 13. Thus, ashort structural arrangement in the direction of the longitudinal axis 2can be achieved.

The structure can be selected so that a short as possible axial distanceexists in the direction of the longitudinal axis 2 between theengagement portion 14 and the bore axis 3. The axis, defining thethrough opening 18, is achieved to prevent, during loading of theengagement portion 14, a displacement of the tine 8. The fixing portion16 is off-set in relation to the transition portion 20 and to the firstportion 21 of the engagement portion 14 in the same sense as to thecoils spring portion 10. This means, that the coil spring axis 11 andthe bending axis 2, for the abutment portion 19 are off-set in the samesense. Thus, the carrier tube 1 is received between the coil portion andthe abutment portion. During loading of the engagement portion 14, inthis arrangement, the fixing screw 3 is mainly subjected to shearing.

The fixing screw 3 is a screw with a flat screw head 6 with a hexagonalsocket. The nut 7 is formed as a collar nut and is inserted into thecarrier tube from the coil spring portion-facing side of the throughbore 4. The coil spring portion 10 is supported with a portion of itsouter circumference on the nut 7. In this case, the nut 7 can beprovided with a torsional retainment.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 a tine 8 is used, which correspondscompletely to the tine described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. Theonly difference is between the design of the fixing screw 105 inrelation to the fixing screw 5.

In FIG. 3 the loading direction X for the engagement portion is shown.The fixing screw 105 differs in reference to the arrangement of thefixing screw in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. The screw head 106 isarranged in the area of the coil spring portion of the tine 8. The nut107 is correspondingly screwed onto the thread 104 of the fixing screw105 in the area of the eyelet.

FIG. 5 shows the assembly of the tine in FIGS. 3 and 4. The fixing screw105 is already pushed into the through bore of the carrier tube 101. Thetine 8 is pushed in an inclined position, as shown in FIG. 5, with thethrough opening 18 of the eyelet onto the threaded portion of the fixingscrew 105. A thread portion radially exits the carrier tube 101. Thetine 8 is acted on in the direction of the arrow X to achieve acounter-clockwise torque. This pivots the tine 8 so that the coil springportion 10 comes into abutment with and is supported on the screw head106. Because of this, the fixing screw 105 is initially retained in itsposition. The nut 107 can be screwed on after the tine 8 has beenrotated.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and,thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention areintended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations arenot to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. A tine for attachment to a cylindrical carrier tube of a reel formowing devices on harvesting machines, the tine is made from a materialwhich has a round cross-section and is rod-like, said tine comprising: acoil spring portion wound to a coil line with at least one windingaround a coil spring axis, said coil spring portion having a firstwinding end and a second winding end, a straight or bent engagementportion continuously following the first winding end of the coil springportion, said straight or bent engagement portion ending in a free end,a fixing portion continuously attached to the second winding end, saidfixing portion being bent at a second free end into an eyelet with athrough opening, said eyelet projects in a direction towards the firstwinding end; an abutment portion arranged in front of the eyelet andextending on a circular arc, said abutment centered on a bending axisarranged parallel to the coil spring axis; a transition portion,following the abutment portion and ending in the second winding end; andsaid coil spring axis and bending axis being off-set in the samedirection from the engagement portion.
 2. The tine according to claim 1,wherein the engagement portion has, starting from the first winding end,a first portion arranged in one place with the transition portion of thefixing portion.
 3. The tine according to claim 2, wherein the transitionportion and the engagement portion extend in opposite directions fromthe coil spring portion.
 4. The tine according to claim 1, wherein theeyelet extends perpendicular to a plane formed by the circular arc-likeabutment portion.
 5. A tine arrangement for a reel for mowing devices onharvesting machines, comprising: a cylindrical carrier tube defining alongitudinal axis and extending transversally thereto, a through bore insaid cylindrical tube; a fixing screw having a screw head and a nut; andat least one tine comprising; a coil spring portion wound with at leastone winding around a coil spring axis, said coil spring portion having afirst winding end and a second winding end, a straight or bentengagement portion continuously following the first winding end of thecoil spring portion, said straight or bent engagement portion ending ina free end, a fixing portion continuously attached to the second windingend, said fixing portion being bent at a free end into an eyelet with athrough opening, said eyelet projects in a direction towards the firstwinding end; an abutment portion arranged in front of the eyelet andextending on a circular arc, said abutment centred on a bending axisarranged parallel to the coil spring axis, and a transition portion,following the abutment portion and ending in the second winding end;said coil spring axis and bending axis being off-set in the samedirection from the engagement portion; and said long longitudinal axisrepresents the bending axis and extends parallel to the coil spring axisand wherein the carrier tube is arranged between an outercircumferential portion of the coil spring portion and the fixingportion so that it is partially enclosed by said coil spring portion andsaid fixed portion.
 6. The tine arrangement according to claim 5,wherein the coil spring portion is supported on the screw head or on thenut of the fixing screw.